What Hurts The Most
by xOceanxPinkx
Summary: Gabriella finds life hard to go through without Troy by her side... Based on the song What Hurts The Most by the Rascal Flatts. Oneshot.


I've been listening to the Rascal Flatts way too much... Especially the song "What Hurts The Most", and I'd thought it'd be interesting to write a oneshot using pretty much the same plot from the music video (cuz that's how original I am).

**Disclaimer:** I obviously don't own High School Musical.

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**What Hurts The Most**

Gabriella hated all the looks she recieved in the hallway. Complete, random strangers feeling sorry for her. Sorry for her loss. People who never really got to know him, the real him, and yet they acted like they too had lost a best friend. She hated them, just for that. For constantly reminding her of the pain.

It was hard to escape it though. Everything in the school reminded her of him. The lockers, the Wildcat logos, the huge picture of him holding a basketball... She wish she could escape from it all, but she couldn't. _Troy wouldn't have wanted it to be this way._ Which is what she told herself, everyday. Yet she couldn't believe it.

Coach Bolton turned the corner and was heading the opposite way of her. He gave no notice of her, as if she was a ghost that reminded him.

She wanted to scream at him. _It's all your fault!_ she wanted to say, blaming him as much as he blamed her. If only he hadn't called, Troy would still be alive. He'd be here, with her, reassuring her that everything is and will always turn out okay. But now that wasn't the case. He was taken away, after they both found out how they truly felt. Tears began to roll down her face, and she bumped into Coach Bolton.

He didn't even apologize. Just walked off, leaving a stunned Gabriella behind. _Why were you so against us?_ she felt like asking. If only he had been more accepting...

_"Hey Troy, there's something I need to ask you," she said, putting down her pencil and smiling._

_Troy looked at her, his eyes twinkling, and she could've lost herself in them forever. "Sure, no problem. Although I don't see why a gorgeous genius like you would need help."_

_She giggled, but she couldn't make herself ask him. What if he didn't feel the same way? There was no way she'd be willing to face that potential embarassment. "Okay, what if you liked a friend, and you weren't sure he liked you back?"_

_"You'd be sure," he replied, holding Gabriella's hands in his own. "Because he'd tell you that the girl he was in love with had beautiful, wavy brown hair with the most gorgeous eyes and smile. She's the smartest, funniest girl he knows, and that she's the only one he can be his true self around. Just like kindergarten."_

_"I love you too, Troy," she whispered, staring at the ground. Finally, they both had come out with it._

_He lifted up her chin and wiped away a tear on her face. "I was wondering when you'd tell me." With that famous smile of his, he pulled her closer and gave her that one thing she always wanted. She took her hands out of his and encircled her arms around his neck, kissing him back as he placed his hands on her waist...  
_

Homeroom was hell for her. It was like his empty desk was taunting her, pointing and laughing. She took out her notebook and tried to solve some math equations, but her tears kept blurring her sight. Why was she still in school anway? Looking around the silent classroom, she saw that everyone had been paired up. Chad with Taylor, Sharpay with Zeke, Ryan with Kelsi... The pain was too much to handle, and she threw her stuff together and ran out of the room.

The restroom was the nearest place she saw, and she ran into a stall, getting on her knees.Taylor and Sharpay came in and got on their knees also. Sharpay held Gabriella's hand while Taylor pulled her hair back.

Why did it have to be this way? Why did he have to be taken away? She had to leave. Maybe she could ask her mom to transfer... But that would be like pretending Troy never existed, and he was the last person she wanted to forget.

Gabriella took off again.

She could heard footsteps running behind her, but she didn't turn around to look at who it was. She ran past several classrooms and out the school doors. Where she was going, she didn't know. Maybe she already had the path memorized, or maybe he was leading the way for her.

On the right side of the road was a wooden white cross, with red and white roses decorating it. Across it was the name "Troy Bolton". Falling to the ground, she yanked at several patches of grass, sobbing.

_Troy's cellphone rang, interrupting the kiss. He pulled it out of his pocket and frowned. "It's my dad."_

_Gabriella smiled. "Answer it. It's not like I'm going away."_

_He smiled back and left the room. She tried not to eavesdrop, but she could hear Coach Bolton yelling over the phone. Obviously something was wrong... When Troy came back into the room, she tried to make it look like she hadn't listened in._

_"My dad wants me to come home right now. He found out I skipped free period workout."_

_"Troy, in this weather? It's raining pretty hard out there."_

_"Yeah, I think I'm in pretty big trouble."_

_She hugged him and kissed him on the cheek. "Be careful." Leading him to the balcony, she gave him on final hug._

_Before he climbed over the railing though, he took her into his arms and kissed her passionately, right in the pouring rain. Lightening lit up the sky, as if on cue. "I love you, Gabriella," he whispered, running his fingers through her hair._

_"Troy..." She gazed into those blue eyes, watching the raindrops fall from his eyelashes. Just one last kiss... Their final kiss._

Her head laid on a teddy bear someone had placed in front of the cross. "I see you Troy," she said aloud, staring at the dark, grey sky. "I hope you're having fun up there." Someone laid down beside her, and she looked over. "Troy?"

"Gabriella," he replied, smiling. He reached over for her hand and held it, stroking it with his thumb. "I am happy. And I want you to be happy too."

"It's so hard though," she whispered harshly, tears threatening to spill once more. "Why'd you have to go?"

"I love you." It was a simple statement with three powerful words. And as soon as he had come, he was gone.

The clouds began clearing away, and the sun shined through. Gabriella sat up and dried her tears off with her sleeve.

"I will always love you, Troy."

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I was actually crying while I was writing this... That song is so heartbreaking, and I watched the music video to make sure I got some parts right. Obviously it differs a little... And I can't believe I killed off Troy... Please review.  



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